The Inefficacy of Preimplantation Genetic Screening

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) was introduced into clinical practice to improve the disappointingly low ongoing pregnancy rates in subfertile couples in assisted reproduction, based on the assumption that the high rates of chromosomal aneuploidy in the cleavage stage embryos of these couples were the underlying cause. However, despite its wide availability and usage during the past 10 years, PGS has never been shown to actually increase ongoing pregnancy rates after assisted reproduction. In fact, meta-analysis of all properly designed studies conducted for the indication advanced maternal age shows a significant reduction in ongoing pregnancy rates. This lack of evidence for the efficacy of PGS and the accumulating evidence for its harm for the indication advanced maternal age, means that PGS should not be offered as a routine treatment in clinical practice.